Safety in the driving seat as vehicle fleet is upgraded

Award-winning Pall-Ex member, Premier Palletised Limited (PPL) is investing in a raft of new safety measures across its entire fleet.

London-based PPL is equipping its vehicles with CCTV technology linked to side sensors that detect when a cyclist is nearby, allowing the driver to act in accordance.

The upgrades will put PPL on the road to receiving its FORS (Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme) Gold accreditation – an industry recognition for a company’s commitment to safety, fuel efficiency, reducing emissions and improving operations.

Kevin Buchanan, managing director at Pall-Ex said: “Driver safety is one of the biggest priorities within our industry, and it’s extremely encouraging to see Pall-Ex members such as PPL getting involved in promoting the safety of their drivers and the surrounding community.”

Adam Hopcroft, managing director at PPL, said that the initiative was part of an ongoing drive to improve safety:

“At PPL, we take our responsibility to our employees and the surrounding community incredibly seriously, which is why we do everything that we can to ensure that our drivers are trained to a high standard and understand the importance of remaining alert and vigilant when driving. Upgrading our vehicles to include CCTV and side sensors further enhances our drivers’ ability to remain safe.”

Alongside this, PPL has joined forces with a new driver behaviour initiative called Lightfoot, which uses a dashboard computer to ensure drivers operate their vehicles as safely and efficiently as possible.

At PPL, we take our responsibility to our employees and the surrounding community incredibly seriously."
Adam Hopcroft, managing director at PPL

“Lightfoot technology is available for vehicles that are 3.5 tonnes or less and, being based in London, our fleet consists of a fair amount of vans,” said Adam

“This new technology works by using Formula One-style analytics to identify the specific vehicle’s efficiency sweet spot – which is ultimately the driving style at which the vehicle operates at optimum efficiency.”

When Lightfoot detects that the engine is moving out of the desired efficiency level, a driver receives a prompt to gently push them back to a safer, more efficient driving style. If these alerts are ignored, the driver receives a penalty, which is then visible to management through Lightfoot’s reporting system.

Drivers who consistently drive in a safe and efficient manner become ‘Elite drivers’, and are rewarded for their efforts, including potential eligibility for discounts on insurance.

Adam added: “It’s been a great incentive for our guys, and we’re proud to have our very first Elite Driver, Aiden Power, who was the most consistently competent driver throughout the summer.”

To find out more about Premier Palletised Limited, visit their website here.